The Genius Within by David Adam Unlocking Your Brain's Potential

Except for a taste for anecdotes describing individuals experiencing a miraculous transformation, Adam delivers a sensible, often skeptical review of his subject. Most readers will agree that techniques to supercharge our brains are inevitable—but not yet.
-Kirkus

Following the success of The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, David Adam now expounds on the latest research into intelligence, revealing how this revolution in neuroscience will help us access the untapped potential locked within us all.

What if you have more intelligence than you realize? What if there is a genius inside you, just waiting to be released? And what if the route to better brain power is not hard work or thousands of hours of practice but to simply swallow a pill?

In The Genius Within, David Adam explores the groundbreaking neuroscience of cognitive enhancement that is changing the way the brain and the mind works—to make it better, sharper, more focused and, yes, more intelligent. He considers how we measure and judge intelligence, taking us on a fascinating tour of the history of brain science and medicine, from gentlemen scientist brain autopsy clubs to case studies of mental health patients with extraordinary savant abilities.

In addition to reporting on the latest research and fascinating case studies, David also goes on his own personal journey to investigate the possibilities of neuroenhancement, using himself as a guinea pig for smart pills and electrical brain stimulation in order to improve his IQ scores and cheat his way into MENSA. Getting to the heart of how we think about intelligence and mental ability, The Genius Within plunges into deep ethical, neuroscientific, and historical pools of enquiry about the science of brain function, untapping potential, and what it means for all of us.

Going to the heart of how we consider, measure, and judge mental ability, The Genius Within asks difficult questions about the science that could rank and define us, and inevitably shape our future.

Just a breath away from Dixieland music and Bourbon Street, lies the little Cajun town of Jean Lafitte where singer, songwriter, composer and author, David Adam, was born and raised. In this bayou land, the passion for life is as hot as the Louisiana summers. He has been performing professionally and semi-professionally in south Louisiana for over 40 years and continues to hone his skills to this day. This is the inspiration for all of his writings. So enjoy the stories for what they are, and where they come from, for this is the heart and soul of....................................... TALES FROM THE BAYOU

Kirkus

on
Oct 30 2017

Except for a taste for anecdotes describing individuals experiencing a miraculous transformation, Adam delivers a sensible, often skeptical review of his subject. Most readers will agree that techniques to supercharge our brains are inevitable—but not yet.

Guardian

Reviewed by Barbara Sahakian
on
Mar 11 2018

The reflections on ethics are extremely refreshing, especially given the emphasis currently being placed on genetics in health science, even in the area of complex mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, despite the fact that there are many genes involved of very small effect.